Five Possibilities
by The Sacred and Profane
Summary: My take on Aoihand's Multiverse prompt.


Five Possibilities

AN: I own nothing in this story. Done for Aoihand's Great Multiverse Challenge. Please R&R.

First

Sanji loved being the only male on the Thousand Sunny.

From Luffy's energetic grin to Franky's lack of a dress code, the cook was certain he had died and gone to Heaven.

Greeting the morning sky with a wide grin, the cook made his way to the kitchen to start breakfast when he bumped into someone.

"Ah, sorry I didn't see you there," he quickly apologized. His green-haired crewmate stared at him with a slight scowl on her face.

"It's fine Ero-cook. What's for breakfast?"

Zora, the first mate of the ship, frightened most ordinary people with her demeanor.

Sanji wasn't most people.

"Whatever you want Zora-chan!"

"Don't call me that," Zora grumbled, brushing aside the cook as she sought out a good place to nap until breakfast was ready.

And, as usual, Sanji could only sigh as he watched her retreating figure.

"Ah, the disdain of love..."

Second

The world changed.

Usopp was reading on the couch when he felt a pair of familiar arms wrap around his shoulders, Nami's lips near his ear as she spoke.

"You're going to be a daddy." The next moment Usopp let the book drop onto the carpet as he whirled around and hugged his wife tightly.

The world changed.

Nami was now in her fourth month of pregnancy, her belly showing a prominent bump. She was sleeping, the early morning light just starting to come into being when she felt a trembling beside her. Opening her eyes and turning her head she saw Usopp's body convulse as he started to cough, the white sheets soon becoming stained with blood.

The world changed.

Cancer.

He tried to stem his tears when he got the diagnosis but he wasn't strong enough.

Nami hugged him tightly as she failed to hold her own tears back.

The world changed.

Usopp held Nami's hand as she cursed at him, the timid young man learning many inventive insults during the seven hours it took for their child to be brought into the world at six pounds seven ounces.

But once the pain had subsided in his hand, the baby taken to be cleaned, and finally placed in Nami's arms wrapped in a pink blanket Usopp grinned.

Nami's eyes were watery as she looked from her child to her husband and back again.

"I hope she gets your nose," Nami said as she passed their child into his arms.

The content feeling in her chest at that moment was something she was never going to forget.

The world changed.

Another hospital room.

"I'm sorry..."

His voice brought her thoughts back to the moment, away from doctors, tests, and false starts of hope.

"I'm sorry I failed. I promised you forever, didn't I?"

"Don't...don't say that. You never failed me Usopp. I don't regret anything in my life when it comes to you." She gripped his hand as hard as she dared while saying this.

He squeezed back as best he could.

Her eyes started to go watery as she spoke again.

"At least you won't get to see me when I'm old and wrinkly," she joked, voice wavering a little.

"I bet you'll have the most beautiful...wrinkles..."

Several hours later Usopp passed away, Nami's pain-filled sobs echoing through sterile halls.

The world changed.

Belle was sitting on the couch with her mother, a remote in her eight year old hands as she hit play. Her father's face appeared on the television, his long nose just like Belle's own.

_"Now where were we? Oh yes, painting. Now when you're painting the house with your mom make sure to get her as colorful as possible. I find green paint suits her very well."_

Belle giggled at the image of her mother covered in green paint and Nami blushed lightly. He had never told her about this particular segment of his video record.

Hugging her daughter with one arm, the pair continued to watch and laugh at Usopp continued telling his life lessons and amusing stories.

Later that evening, as Belle was being tucked in, she looked at her mother with a gleam in her eyes.

"Story time?"

So Nami started her tale, one of Belle's favorites.

"Once upon a time there was a long-nosed liar and a tangerine-loving thief......

The world changed.

As Nami lay down in her own bed, she stared out at the stars gleaming far overhead. She remembered a camping trip Usopp had taken her on. They had been dating for seven months and she recalled how cold the wind was that night.

_Snuggling up to Usopp, Nami wrapped the blanket tight around the both of them as she stared at the stars._

_ "Do you think there are other universes out there?" he had asked out of the blue._

_ "I don't think so. One universe is big enough without having anymore."_

_ "Well I think there are. And you know what else?"_

_ "What?"_

_ "I'm sure there are other versions of us out there. I mean it sounds kind of silly but I think we're living another today right now. Another place, another time...it's just that we might not realize that you are you and I am me."_

Nami sighed as she started to fall asleep.

"I'll see you again, sometime, somewhere, even if I won't know you when I do."

The world changed.

Khaladore had been defeated, Luffy had gotten a new ship, and their wounds were healing as the Going Merry sailed across the ocean.

Nami leaned against the railing and stared out at the wide expanse of blue. The cry of the gulls, the cloudless sky, it was all so soothing.

She saw someone lean against the railing to her left out of the corner of her eye several minutes later.

It was Usopp.

"It's amazing isn't it?"

"Yeah, sure is," Nami replied. The pair continued to watch the waves in silence, the navigator finding her hand inching closer to his own, fingers eventually entwining with his.

She had no idea why she had done so and the way he stiffened at first made her want to apologize but she held her tongue. Eventually Usopp's tension eased and he squeezed her hand.

And as odd as it was, Nami was certain she would always remember just how content she felt in that moment for the rest of her life.

The world changed.

Third

Nami loved men. But what she loved more than men was protecting men. She had earned her nickname of The Gallant Thief.

So when she saw just how many men were aboard the Thousand Sunny, she jumped at the chance to join.

"Usopp, can I hear one of your stories?"

"Sanji, do you need me to give you a massage?"

"Luffy, don't run around so fast! You might hurt yourself."

She even made sure that Brook had enough milk to drink everyday.

But with this gallantry came one fatal flaw: Nami could never hit another man.

Luckily for the combative nature of the Strawhats, most of the pirates scouring the sea were women.

Nami had no problem fighting them.

Four

The Thousand Sunny Annual Eating Contest drew in millions of spectators and was the prime event of the year.

Which made sense considering the leader of the world was King Walpol and since the king was loved by all his subjects for his compassionate nature and given the fact that this just ruler was quite hefty the culture mirrored this.

Obesity was admired, thinness frowned upon, and eating encouraged.

This year the Thousand Sunny Contest was sponsored by Alabasta and the four hundred pound Queen Vivi. And out of all the contestants there were nine favored above all the rest.

These nine were known in later days as the Strawbellies.

Luffy, also known as Rubber Gut, could eat immense amounts of food.

Zoro, user of the Three Fork style, could slice through the hardest of meals.

Nami the Beer Belly was known for her colossal gut and beautiful chins.

Usopp the Cleaner could clear his plates in record time.

Sanji the Gourmand had vast knowledge and love of every food in existence.

Chopper the Reindeer was known for his love of veggies and animal-like appearance.

Robin the Rubenesque had the largest BMI of any in recorded history.

Franky the Super put his all into his munching.

And finally Brook the Rail was the most unusual. No matter how much he ate he retained an almost skeletal thinness.

The contest that year was one that would never be forgotten.

Five

Luffy waved at the departing ship holding Shanks and all of his pirate friends. The young boy grinned as he placed his straw hat on his head.

Makino approached the child and patted him on the shoulder.

"So are you going to become a pirate Luffy?"

Luffy looked up at Makino, grinned, and shook his head.

"Nope, I'm going to be a waiter!"

And so the legend of One Piece....never got started.


End file.
